Disability and Health

Staying healthy is an elusive goal for many Americans. However, one large group faces a dual challenge: coping successfully with a disability and avoiding secondary health problems that could threaten their overall well-being. Nearly 54 million Americans—about one in five—live with some sort of mental or physical disability, including developmental conditions such as autism, muscular dystrophy, and Down’s syndrome as well as blindness, hearing loss, and spinal cord injury. The following resources provide an overview of the barriers and challenges that people with disabilities face when accessing preventive health and health promotion services.

ASTHO developed 10 case studies which provide a snapshot of what state public health departments are doing to address the health needs of people with disabilities. Disability and Health: Closing the Gap provides an overview of the case studies.